Apple’s Vision Pro VR has left everyone in awe with its groundbreaking features such as eye tracking and finger control. While other companies have previously implemented technologies like desktop widgets and car crash detection on Android phones, Apple has managed to integrate all these advanced features seamlessly into one product. The Vision Pro has opened up countless application possibilities for virtual reality, according to reviewers.
However, many people have overlooked the fact that Meta’s Quest, launched in 2020, already had a hand tracking function, which has been continuously updated and optimized. The upcoming Quest Pro VR, set to be released in 2022, will also feature eye tracking, although it seems to have a less impressive effect compared to the Vision Pro, as seen in the demonstration video. This highlights Apple’s ability to amaze consumers with its complete integration of new technologies, even if it may not be the first company to introduce them.
In terms of the “MR effect” (Mixed Reality), the Quest can achieve a perspective effect of real scenes on-site by using external lenses inside the glasses. The rendering effect, however, is not as impressive as that of the Vision Pro.
One of Apple’s strengths lies in its marketing capabilities. With its strong brand appeal and product research and development capabilities, Apple has dominated the market for a long time. The legacy of Steve Jobs, along with Apple’s brand awareness, product quality assurance, and consistently good user experience, enables Apple to generate significant media attention when announcing new products. Even if Apple launches similar functions later than its competitors or introduces seemingly stubborn design choices, the company’s reputation allows it to maintain its appeal. Despite potentially higher prices, Apple’s brand positioning and quality assurance are reassuring factors for loyal fans.
Furthermore, Apple excels in communication content settings. Unlike Meta’s Quest Pro video, which mainly emphasizes specifications and improvements compared to its previous generation, Apple’s Vision Pro promotional video focuses on showcasing the user experience and practical applications of the product. By consistently presenting various usage scenarios, Apple highlights what the Vision Pro can do for consumers. Specifications are only mentioned towards the end of the video, after emphasizing the product’s features and benefits.
While the Vision Pro is an impressive product, it is somewhat disappointing that it remains limited to indoor use, similar to a TV or projector. The potential for MR to bring virtual elements into the real environment is not fully realized. Nonetheless, there is hope for future products like an “Air” version of Vision Pro that could address these limitations. Apple’s intentional delay in the release date of Vision Pro allows developers more time to research and develop applications, raising anticipation for the possibilities that may arise.
Personally, I envision combining technologies like ChatGPT and AIGC with Vision Pro. For instance, while traveling abroad, translation subtitles could appear next to a person’s head, enabling seamless communication. Additionally, using artificial intelligence to transform streets and buildings into different styles, such as Japanese-style or two-dimensional, could create a unique walking experience. Furthermore, personalized advertisements could be tailored to an individual’s interests.
In recent months, the concept of the “Metaverse” has gained significant attention. Previously associated more with blockchain games and land-related projects like “Sandbox” and “Decentraland,” the focus has shifted with Facebook’s transition to Meta. The terms VR and AR are now increasingly connected to discussions surrounding the Metaverse. The convergence of the “Web3 industry” and mainstream business issues is becoming evident. With Apple’s entry into the Metaverse space, it is anticipated that the industry will receive a boost in terms of investment, talent, and market growth, making the future of the Metaverse even more exciting to contemplate.
Just like when the next generation of iPhone is launched every year, many technologies or specifications are not necessarily the latest (for example, desktop widgets, pop-up displays, car crash detection, etc. have been implemented for a long time on Android phones). The Vision Pro was launched this time, of course, the amazing parts such as eye tracking, finger control, etc., are a direct shock to everyone’s mouths. The reviewers agreed that Apple has opened countless application possibilities for VR.
Many people have not noticed that the Quest launched by Meta in 2020 has a hand tracking function, and it is continuously updated and optimized.
The Quest Pro VR, which will be launched in 2022, also has eye tracking, but it seems that the effect is not as good as that of Vision Pro from the demonstration video This also highlights, although perhaps not Apple is the first company to introduce the latest technology, once it is launched, it still To be able to amaze everyone, the difference lies in the completeness and the ability to integrate all the new technologies in perfect for one product, which is undoubtedly the strongest in the world.
Contrasting the part of the gap, for the “MR (Mixed Reality)” effect, Quest can use the external lens to appear inside the glasses to achieve the “perspective” effect of real scenes on site. The this part uses the same method as Vision Pro (or , the same as Vision Pro and Meta Quest), but the rendering effect is much worse:
■ Product positioning (marketing) capability.
For a long time, Apple has dominated the market with its strong product research and development capabilities and brand appeal. Indeed, these two points require strong product marketing capabilities to support them. In the past the Jobs era relied on his strong personal charm to attract a large number of diehard fans like a cult. After entering the Cook era, although iPhone marketing in the past few years has not had any impressive peaks, but this time the Vision Pro When it went public, Apple was able to fight a beautiful battle in the market by virtue of the legacy of Jobs “One More Thing” and “Apple Force Field”, as well as his deep understanding of “communication content setting” .
Apple force field
The first is the “Apple Force Field” which I have always admired. Combining Apple’s brand awareness, product quality assurance and consistently good user experience, Apple can bring in a lot of “Media Earning” volume as soon as it announces any new product (or intentionally doesn’t). ). Even if it launches similar functions later than its competitors, stubborn accessories specifications, stupid bangs design … But because it’s Apple, it seems acceptable. Even if the price is ten times crazy than others, it is the result of quality assurance for fruit fans, and it is also a display of brand positioning.
Communication Content Settings
Let’s take a look at the official promotional video for Meta Quest 3, which was unveiled a few days before the launch of Apple’s Vision Pro:
In the 1 minute and 17 second video, from the very beginning, almost all the time is about specifications: 40% weight loss, double GPU computing power (and show the big Snapdragon chip 🙄), faster and smoother experience, Better graphics, redesigned handlebars….
Then check out the official promotional video of Apple Vision Pro:
Compared to the Meta Quest Pro video, the official Apple Vision Pro promotional video is almost all about showing what it can offer users, and the report still emphasizes
“You can click with your eyes, fingers and voice”
“When you use it, you can see the people next to you, and they can also see your face and interact with you”
“Your photos, videos, or game screens can be so large”
“Your work and meeting scenes can be adapted to be so lively, free and rich”…
Emphasize what the product can do for you, not the product itself, by consistently showing various actual usage scenarios.
In the 9 minutes and 21 seconds of the video, the resolution, sound effects, 3D positioning, chips and other specifications are not mentioned until the last minute.
From writing Vision Pro’s copy on Apple’s official website, it can be found that they do not focus on the fields of AR / VR, games / office, but raise their location directly, and use a broader term “spatial computing device” to define it, and then of this Show “what this product can bring to consumers” one by one at the next level.
Of course, it is not fair to compare these two promotional materials directly, because the main purpose of the Meta video is to emphasize how much it has improved compared to the previous generation, and the communication target is real potential buyers , while the Vision Video pro is more To a large extent, it is necessary to demonstrate technical firepower for the market and present situational applications to developers. However, we can still observe from such a direct comparison that the messages they both want to convey are quite different.
❏ Amazing with a bit of disappointment and hope
It’s a little disappointing because the Vision Pro is still an “indoor product,” just like a TV or projector.
I have always felt that MR (hybrid AR / VR) should be able to “bring the virtual to the real environment”. Of course, Vision Pro makes a part, at least in your living room, but the weight and power supply (urine bag) design crush Vision directly The possibility of Pro becomes an aerial view application device open, so the imagination of interacting with real outdoor scenes is completely invisible.
For example, the most immediate imagination is to use MR technology to capture Pokémon outdoors. Put on the monitor, and the Pokémon will run around your feet as if they were alive; in fact water dart turtles will jump out to spray you when passing a pond; The special effect of a gym being attacked by an opponent. Of course, the premise is that there is a sufficiently portable and secure device before such a virtual “metaverse” can be realized in real life.
But maybe there is no need to be too disappointed, since it is called Vision “Pro”, maybe a product line like Vision “Air” will be launched in a few months? Moreover, Apple deliberately extended the time between release and actual sale to about half a year, hoping to give developers more time to research and develop, and hopefully see all kinds of mind-blowing applications before it goes on sale early next year .
I personally wish to combine ChatGPT, when traveling abroad and communicating with foreigners, translation subtitles bubbles will appear right next to his head; together with AIGC based on images, when walking on the street, buildings and streets can be calculated at once to become Japanese style, two-dimensional style, and Greek island style; the busy vehicles on the street and the billboards are instantly calculated and drawn into customized patterns (of course, there may be unique ads for you too).
■ Metaverse rising?
In fact, I have always had the feeling that in recent months, in the past, the focus on “Metaverse” was actually more focused on blockchain games / land-related projects, such as “Sandbox” and “Decentraland” , but since Mark changed. Facebook’s name for Meta in 2021 And after it announced with great fanfare that it would be shifting the company’s focus to the Metaverse, it seems that names like “VR” and “AR” are being linked more often to r Metaverse. are often discussed as well. I feel that the two ends of “Web3 industry” and “hot business issues” are getting closer and closer. I hope the addition of Apple can inject more vitality into the “Metaverse” (money, People and markets ), it’s very exciting to think about 😆
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